LEO photography issue

Yesterday, Friday, March 26, I had the pleasure of attending a gathering at the Lime Tree Gallery on Frankfort Avene. The party was a celebration of LEO Weekly's latest issue featuring local photographers shooting our fair city. Participants in the photo issue include David Harpe, Frankie Steele, John King, Leslie Lyons, Marty Pearl and Mary Yates. See all the photos here.

Unfortunately I got to the event a little early and didn't get to see all of the photographers, but I did see Frankie, who does a lot of work for Kentucky Opera and the Louisville Orchestra, and David Hawp, who I met when he won the signature artist for Kentucky Opera's Viva il Vino event.

David's photos (the attached Louisville skyline is one if David's pieces) have always been impressive to me. His work looks so very photoshopped, but infact, they are not. That is what makes them impressive. That he is able to create such uniqe imagry that has not been manipulated by computers... Wow.

LEO's creative director, Brittany Baker hung the show very well. It was clean and easily navigated. Too bad the show was only up for one night, but you can still pick up the issue and see the work in their new glossy magazine format.

A couple of very cool things I found today

Its been an ineresting day in the music world for me today. I happened upon a couple of very cool gems. The last (only because it was easier for me to find) was a story on NPR on my way home from the office. It was about a new book by Lemony Snicket called The Composer is Dead. Its a murder mystery looking for the killer of a composer and looking to the orchestra for the culprit. The story is used to teach young readers about the different instruments of an orchestra and the main theme is while a lot of the composers we know well, are well, dead BUT its the music that keeps the composer alive.

I reccomend listening to the podcast, as the "handler" does some great reading. Find the story here.

The other very cool thing I found was a video created from a mixture of other people's you tube videos creating a new and different piece of music. He is known as Kutiman and on his website he has several videos all together. Below is one.



I am finding the use of technology with music extremely interesting as of late. I had heard about the You Tube Orchestra sometime ago and yesterday they posted the winners.

The gathering of this orchestra will take place at Carnagie Hall on April 15, when they will perform Tan Dun's Symphony for You Tube. Should be pretty cool and I wonder if it will be broadcast in the movie theatres like they are doing at the Met.

I found out that two of the Louisville Orchestra musicians auditioned. They didn't make it but it's still pretty cool they participated. I have to find one, but you can see Richard Ryan's audition here.

Opera Haikus

I have to share these. I wish I had his creativity.

Eric McKeever former education manager of Kentucky Opera is now with Columbus Opera and has started twittering. What does he twitter? Opera Haikus almost daily. Here are some recent examples that have me scratching my head.

Opera Haiku of the Day: She won't kiss husband/A match signals their meeting/She sees dead lover (Name that opera)
9:45 AM Mar 3rd from web

Opera Haiku of the Day: Old man wants young life/Makes a deal with the devil/Price to pay is "Hell." (Could be one of three operas.)
8:15 AM Mar 2nd from web

Opera Haiku of the Day:She's "child" to them all/He loves her, sings nine of these/Marquise lets them be (Name that opera)
2:20 PM Feb 25th from web

Opera Haiku of the Day: She's known as "Kid Deer"/It's a tale that ends in death/Bubbles stole the show (Name that opera)
2:28 PM Feb 24th from web

Get your Haiku of the day by following @Eric_OperaCols.